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(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet l. S R. RIFFLE.

COMBINED WAGONBED AND BRAKE.

No. 378,387. Patented Feb. 21, 1888.

Attes' QZA (No Modem 2 Sheets- 8mm:

S. R. RIPPLE.

COMBINED WAGON BED AND BRAKE.

No. 378,337. Patented Feb. 21, 1888.

Q lift 87161229 M1 048? J5, zw/ze,

PATENT Fries;

:STEIIIEN R. ItIFFLE, OF FOLEY, MISSOURI.

COMBINED WAGON BED AND BRAKE.

SPECIPIC'ATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 378,337, dated February zl, 1888.

Application filed September 30, i887.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN R. RIFFLE, of Foley, in the county of Lincoln and State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in a Combined Sectional \Vagon Bed and Brake, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which- Figure I is a perspective View showing the sectional wagon-bed set up with its toggle brake attachment. Fig. II is a vertical section showing the: means of securing the endgate to the bed-bottom. Fig. III is a detail inverted bottom view of the bed, showing the sectional catchplates with which the pendent bolt of the end-gate engages. Fig. IV isa detail vertical. section showing the screw-bolt attachment of the side board to the middle cross-sill of the bed. Fig. V is a detail vertical section showing the screw-bolt attachment of the side boards to the end cross-sills. Fig. VI is a perspective view of one of the side boards and a section of the bed-bottom, with detail of the other section, and shows the bifurcated plate that couples the sections. Fig. VII is a detail of one of the sideboards with its pendent stirrup attached. Fig. VIII is a perspective view of one of the end-gates,show-' ing the strap-catches to embrace the sideboards and the pendent screw-bolt that secures the end-gate to the bed-bottom; and Fig IX is a perspective view of the toggle-brake levers, showing their pivoted attachment to the conncctingstraps or brake-carriers that couple the holster to the middle cross-sill.

This invention relates to devices for a sectional or knockdown wagon bed and brake that can be both taken apart and set up piecemeal; and the invention consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described, and pointcd out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar figures of reference indicate like parts in all the views, 1 represents the sections of the bedhottom; 2, the side-boards; 3, the end-gates; 4, the bolsters; 5, the standards; 6, the middle cross-tree sill 3 7, the sectional end cross'sills; 8, the operative brake-lever; 9, the attendant brake-lever; It), the couplingstraps or brake- Seriul No.251,1fi6. (No model.)

I now proceed to describe the operation of setting up my sectional wagon, naming the smaller but mostly essential parts and attachments by their indicating numbers as they are reached.

The duplicate halves 1 of the bed-bottom are placed on the bolsters 4, clamping them in tight together between the standards 5. The bifurcated ends 13 of the coupling-plates 14., that are screwed or otherwise fastened onto the inner ends of the end sectional cross-sills of one section of the bed-bottom, engage with flat-headed pins 15, that project from the corresponding end cross sills of the adjoining section and couple the sections of the bed-bottom together at each end. The side boards are next placed in positi0n,and the vertical bifur cated ends 16 of the cleats 17 at the out ends of the side-boards embrace the thumb-screw bolts 18. The said bolts pass through the washers 19 and catch-plates 20 and screw into the nut 21, thatis embedded in the slot-22 in the sectional cross-sills. The perforations 23 in the catchplates 20 allow the plate free rotary movement on the screw-bolts 1S, and perforations 24 near the other extremity of the plates are made to catch onto the catch-pins 25, that project from the cleats 17, and thus, by the joint connection of the coupling catch plates, with the screw-bolts projecting from thesectional crosssills on the one hand and with the projecting pins secured to the cleats on the other, the side-boards are securely coupled to the sectional cross-sills and bed. The thumb-screws are then turned around, their threads engaging in the nuts embedded in the cross-sills until the connection of the parts is firmly secured. The middle cross -tree sill, 6, is then passed under the bed-bottom and its ends seated in the stirrups 12. Saddle-hooks 26 are then seated on the top of the side-boards directly over the cross-tree sills, and pendent bolts 27 therefrom pass down the inside of the side-boards and embed themselves in the perforations 28 in the bed-bottom and cross-tree sills. On the outside of theside-board hooked bolts 29 engage in eyelets 30 in the outer terminations of the saddle-hopks, frgm which said bolts hangpen'dent' and pass through" the slots 31 in the ends of the cross-tree sills. A thumb-screw nut, 32, and washer 38 engage on the screw-threaded ends 34 of the bolts 29, and firmly hold together the side-boards, sectional bed-bottom, and cross tree-sill. The endgates 3 are then inserted in their seats between the cleats 35, and their strap-hooks 36 clutch the top of the side-boards and are seated within the bifurcated forks 37 of the upper ends of the outer cleats of said side-board. Middle cross-cleats, 38,are secured, by screws or otherwise, to the outside of the end-gates,and eyeletbolts39are passed through both the cross-cleats and end-gates, and their threaded ends are secured by screw-nuts 40 inside the end-gates, said nuts being seated on washers 41. Hang mg pendent from the eyelets of bolts 39 are the hooked bolts 42, whose lower ends pass between the projecting catches of the twin plates 43. Thumb-screw nuts 44, engaging on the threaded ends 45 of the bolts 42, securely hold them, and with them the end-gates, in place. The coupling-straps or brake carriers 10, which are provided with hooks 46, to engage in eyelet-bolts 47, that are secured in the rear bolster, and saddle-hooks 48, that are arranged to grasp the semicircular grooved seats 49 near the ends of the cross-tree sill, are then secured in their positions ready to carry the toggle-brake levers. I have shown the main bar of these straps of wood and the hooks of metal screwed thereto; but the straps may, if preferred, be made of metal, and the hooks would then preferably be made integral there with. The operative brake-lever 8, which has fastened to it, by screws or otherwise, the twin clevis-plates 50, which are connected together near their outer extremities by a bolt or rivet, 51, is next placed on the coupling-straps or brake carriers 10, and the pivot-pin 52 is dropped into the corresponding perforations, 53, through said brakelever and the coupling-strap that carries it. The bifurcated end 54 of the attendant brakelever 9 is then made to clutch the bolt or rivet 51, that connects the clevis-plates, and the pivot-pin 55 is dropped into the corresponding perforations, 56, through said lever and the coupling-strap that carries it. 57 is the perforation for connection with the rod of the usual operating lock-lever. This arrangement of the brake-levers makes a convenient togglebrake when the usual rubbers, operating-levers, and connecting links or rods are attached. These latter are not shown or described, as nothing is claimed thereon, and they are of usual construction.

It will be seen that the toggle-brake attachments of my sectional wagon-bed carry out the general character of the invention in their knockdown arrangement and when the wagon is used on level roads, so that. the brake is not required. By simply lifting out the pivot-pin 55 and withdrawing the bifurcated end of the lever 9 from the clevis-pin 51 said lever can be withdrawn, apd, after lifting the piyot-pin 52, thereifi'ainingbrakedever ni'aybe removed, and the coupling-strap brake-bearers are then easily removed from their seats.

It is well known to teamsters that the lifting on and off of the wagon-beds is a very laborious operation. My knockdown or sectional bed is intended to obviate that difiiculty and provide a bed that can be put on by a lad without either. racking the bed or injury to himself. It is also intended for use relatively as a box-bed, and also aplatform-bed, in accordance with the nature of the load to be drawn, itbeing of such a sectional construction that it is adaptable to a variety of uses.

I claim as my invention-- 1. In a wagon bed and brake, the combination of the sectional bottom 1, in two parts, the coupling-plates 14, the bifurcated ends 13 of said plates, and flat-headed pins 15, that they embrace, arranged to lock the sections of the bed-bottom together, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a wagon bed and brake, the combination of the sectional bottom in two parts, the side-boards 2, and end-slotted cross-tree sills 6, the stirrup-straps 12-tl1at carry said cross-tree sills, the saddle-hooks 26, that ride the sideboards, the pendent bolts 27, the hooked bolts 29, having loose connection with the saddlehooks, said bolts connecting the saddle-hooks with the cross-tree sills, and the thumbscrew nuts 34, that secure the bolts 29 to the sill in the slots, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a wagon'bed and brake, the combination of the sectional bed-bottom, the sections secured together by coupling-plates, the sides 2, the cleats on out ends of sides, the bifurcated ends of said cleats, the thumb-screw bolts 18, that said bifurcated ends straddle, and the captive nuts 21, in which the screw-bolts 18 engage, arranged to tighten the bifurcated ends of the cleats on the out ends of the sideboards to the out ends of the sectional crosssills, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a wagon bed and brake, the combination of the sectional bedbottom, the couplingplates and catch-pins that lock the sections, the side-boards, the bifurcated-ended cleats 17, the thumb-screw bolts they straddle, the captive nuts in which said screws engage, and the washers 19 and coupling-plates 20, that they carry, and catch-pins 25, on which the perforations 24 of the coupling-plate engage, arranged to hold down the side-boards to the end cross-sills and look their coupling together, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. a 5. In a wagon bed and brake, the combination of the sectional bed-bottom, the couplingplates and catch-pins that look the sections together, the side-boards, the thumb-screws, captive nuts, coupling-plates, and catch-pins that couple the side-boards to the bed-bottom,

the end-gates 3, the middle cleats, 38, the eyelet-bolts 39, and screw-nuts 40, and the hooked screw-bolts 42, that engage in the eyelet-bolt, the twin plates 43 on the cross-section sills, and thumbscrew nuts 44, arranged to lock down the end-gates to the bed-bottom, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a wagon bed and brake, the combination of the sectional bed bottom and sideboards, their locking devices, the end-gates, the eyelet-bolts 39,and hooked screw-bolts 42, that hang pendent from the eyeletbolts, the twin plates 43 and thumb-screw nuts 44:, an ranged to hold down the end-gates to the bed bottom, and the strap-hooks 36 on the end gates, that clutch the side-boards to hold them from spreading, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a wagon bed and brake, the combination of the sectional wagon-bed and its attachinent devices, and the detachable couplingstraps or brake earriers 10, the toggle brakelevers 8 and 9, pivoted to the latter, the clevis on the former lever, and the bifurcated end of the latter that engages with the bolt 51 of the J clevis, arranged to make a knockdown toggle lever in connection with the sectional wagon-bed, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a wagon bed and brake, the comb1nation of the sectional wagonbed and its attachment devices, and the coupling-straps or brakecarriers 10, the hooks 46 and eyelet-bolts 47, that connect said straps to the rear bolster, and the saddle-hooks 48, that embrace the cross-tree sill 6, the operative brake-lever 8 and its pivot-pin 52, the attendant brake-lever 9 and its pivotpin 55, the clevis 50, secured to the brake-lever S, and the bifurcated end 54: of the brake-lever 9, that engages in the bolt 51 of the clevis 50, arranged to make a knockdown brake attachable and detachable to and from the sectional wagonbed, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

STEPHEN R. RIFFLE.

In presence of- BENJN. A. KNIGHT, JAB. E. KNIGHT. 

